Severance and the Barry

This morning I woke up to the happy news that my fourth novel, Severance Package, has been nominated for a Barry Award in the category of Best Paperback Original. The full list has been leaked here; the winners will be announced at this year's Bouchercon in Indianapolis. I'm sure I'm going to have my ass handed to me by my fellow nominees (including Max Allan Collins and Christa Faust), but as they say, it's just a pleasure to be nominated.

I Sit At the Left Hand of Sean Doolittle

And I couldn't be more pleased. Crimespree Magazine has just announced their Favorite Books of 2006, and topping the list is Sean Doolittle's The Cleanup. In second place, and playing actual cleanup, however, is The Blonde, followed by quite a few favorites of Secret Dead Blog. Interestingly, this is second year in a row I've come in second place--although last year I shared that position with Laura Lippman, Michael Connelly and John Connolly. (No, I don't know how I squeaked in there, either.) Thanks to all who voted, and of course, to the Family Jordan. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I have to carry around Sean's textbooks for a semester, or something.